Boston Baked Beans

Recipe No. 552 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Vegetables. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

Beans, navy — 16 pounds (9 No. 56 dippers)

• Water, cold — 4 to 5 gals. (16 to 20 No. 56 dippers)
• Salt — as needed
• Onions, quartered — 1½ pounds (2 No. 56 dippers)
• Sugar, granulated — 1 pound (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Salt — 6 ounces (12 mess kit spoons)
• Molasses — 1½ quarts (1½ No. 56 dippers)
• Pork, salt, sliced — 6 pounds
• Water, boiling — as needed

Directions

Key ingredients

Molasses

1. Wash beans thoroughly. Cover with cold water; soak 6 to 8 hours.
2. Add salt. Cover and heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender but not split or mushy. Drain.
3. Combine beans, onions, sugar, salt and molasses; mix well.
4. Place alternate layers of salt pork and beans in baking pans, beginning and ending with salt pork. Cover pans.
5. Bake in slow oven (300° F.) at least 6 hours or as long as possible. Add boiling water as needed during baking.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Beans, navy — 1 lb 4½ oz Water, cold — ⅓ to 5 gals. Salt — to taste Onions, quartered — 2 oz Sugar, granulated — 1¼ oz Salt — ½ oz Molasses — 7⅔ tbsp Pork, salt, sliced — 7⅔ oz Water, boiling — to taste

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 552, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.